Common botanicals and other materials in rice seed protection during storage

On-farm grain storage

Clonal propagation: a method of seed multiplication

Raising seedlings by the wetbed method

The dapog method of raising rice seedlings

Line markers for rice transplanting

Straight-row planting using the square and triple-row spacing

A manually operated rice transplanter

A drum seeder for direct seeding

Inoculating rice seedlings with Azospirillum

Common botanicals and other materials in rice seed protection during storage

Botanicals have been used for centuries in rice storage in Asia.
This information sheet focuses on the use of plants or its products in the
protection of rice seed. Some of the ideas require further testing and
development while others have long been tested by rice farmers.

I. Materials Verified Effective as Rice Seed Protectants

Scientific Name

Common Name

Preparation

1. Azadirachta indica

Neem (margosa)

Mix 10-20 9 powdered neem seed per kg seed

2. Acorus calamus

Sweet flag (lubi-lubi)

Mix 10-20 g powdered rhizome per kg seed

3. Mentha spicata

Spearmint

Mix 5-20 9 powdered leaves per kg seed

4. Capsicum frutescens

Red pepper (siring labuyo)

Mix 10-20 9 chillies, per kg seed

5. Curcuma longa

Turmeric (luyang dilaw)

Mix 20 9 powdered rhizome per kg seed

6. Piper nigrum

Black pepper(paminta)

Mix 5 9 powdered leaves per kg seed

Other Materials:

1. Wood ash or paddy husk ash

Mix 10-40 9 per kg seed

2. Lime

Mix 10 9 per kg seed

3. Fine sand

Mix 0.5 9 per kg seed

Preparation of Powdered Plants:

Sundry the plant parts (fruit seed, rhizome or leaves)
thoroughly. For rhizomes, faster drying can be done if chopped into smaller
pieces. Cut the plant parts into finer pieces after sundrying. Grind into powder
using a grinder or mortar and pestle. If the powder is not used immediately,
store in tightly sealed jars.

II. The following botanicals have been reported effective
against cereal pests that could also infest rice seeds. However, there have been
no direct reports on actual rice seed storage. You may try them and inform us of
your results.

Scientific Name

Common Name

Preparation

Reported Effect on Insect

Acacia concinna

Soap nut

powdered seed

antifeedant

Angelica glauca

Angelica genus

powdered roots

repellent

Annona squamosa

Sugar apple, atis

powdered seeds

anti-insect*

Aphananixis polystachya

Pithraj

dried leaves

anti-insect*

Artemisia maritime

Wormseed

powdered leaves

repellent

Atlantia monophylla

dried stem and leaves

repellent

Atropa acuminata

Indian belladona

powdered rhizomes

repellent

Caesalpinia pucherrina

Peacock flower(caballero)

powdered flowers

insecticidal: contact poison

Calotropis gigantae

Crown plant

powdered flowers

insecticidal

Cassia absus

Four-leaf senna

dried and powdered leaves

anti-insect*

Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium

Pyrethrum

dried and powdered flowers

insecticidal: contact poison

Clerodendron infortunatum

Bhant

dried leaves

anti-insect*

Datura stramonium

Jimson weed

dried and powdered leaves

repellent

Hyptis spicigera

Mint(suob-kabayo)

3 gm dried powdered leaves per kg seeds

repellent

Justicia adhatoda

Malabar nut tree

dried and powdered leaves

antifeedant

Lecothoe grayana

Fetterbush genus

dried leaves, aqueous extraction

anti-insect*

Luffa aegyptiaca

Sponged gourd

powdered leaves

anti-insect*

Mangifera indica

Mango

powdered leaves

repellent

Melia azedarach

China berry

1-2 parts powdered leaves per 100 parts seeds

anti-insect*

Nicotiana sp.

Tobacco

powdered leaves

insecticidal

Pachyrrhizus erosus

Ubas, sinkamas

5-10 parts powdered seeds per 100 parts stored seeds

insecticidal

Pongamia pinnate

Poonga oil tree

powdered leaves

antifeedant

Sapindus marginatus

Florida soap berry

powdered seeds

antifeedant

Scheichera oelasa

Kesambi

5-10 parts powdered seeds per 100 parts stored seeds

insecticidal

Sterculia foetida

Nitas(Calumpang, Bobog)

1-5 parts dried seeds per 100 parts stored seeds

insecticidal

Swartzia madagascariensis

powdered fruit

repellent

Trigonella foenum-graecum

Fenugreek

leaves and seeds are mixed with seeds

repellent

Vitex negundo

Indian pivet(lagundi)

powdered leaves

insecticidal: contact poison

Xeromphis spinosa

powdered roots and fruits

repellent

REFERENCES:

Handbook of Plants with Pest Control Properties. M. Grainage and
S. Ahmed. 1988. United States: John Wiley and Sons, INc.